


Hero's Welcome

by tielan



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe: Canon Divergence, Gen, Snippet, Steve Rogers as the Winter Soldier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-19
Updated: 2018-07-19
Packaged: 2019-06-13 02:49:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15354582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tielan/pseuds/tielan
Summary: So long as he’s awake and available and someone can get at him, he’s a danger – a gun that can be pointed at anything, at anyone, anytime they like.





	Hero's Welcome

**Author's Note:**

> All I seem to have is snippets anymore. This was pulled from a file of "AU treats" - probably from three or four years ago.

Steve knows the woman who walks into the room. He’s seen her in files, in photos, and once through the scope of a sniper rifle.

But Maria Hill, previously Deputy Director of S.H.I.E.L.D, former employee of Stark Industries, and one-time co-ordinator for the Avengers Initiative, feels very different in person as her bootheels rap out across the floor. Or maybe it’s just that Steve has never seen her this close, this sharp, or this angry.

The fact that the anger isn’t focused on him gives him the opportunity to study her – a blade of a woman and unafraid to use it against Bucky.

“Do you realize what a mess you’ve left across Europe, Barnes?”

Bucky turns, his body braced for a fight. But not for a physical fight, Steve realises after a moment. No, there’s a moment when something like relief sags in the broad shoulders before Bucky goes on the attack – or is it the defence?

“And who left us to the mercy of General Ross and the Accords?”

“ _Left_ you? You think I _left_ you to anything? Did you happen to note the part where you _only_ had the CIA after you? Or the bit where Raft security was lax enough that you could actually _find_ it, let alone break in?”

Her voice is like the crack of a whip, the sharp staccato of command coming through loud and clear, bright and sharp as a stiletto, slicing through flesh and blood, snagging on bone—

Steve’s hands starts to shake.

“I wasn’t going to leave them there.”

“And, oddly, nobody was asking you to.” Hill glances over the others. “I can only work with what I’ve got, Barnes. And you gave me nothing, up until you left Stark in Siberia.”

Steve flinches, his vision suddenly full of Howard’s face, shocked and white and old – so old. “ _Steve_?” It’s too much to take in, the edges too sharp, the memories too bright— He shivers and then can’t stop.

_Howard...I’m sorry..._

“Don’t—” Bucky begins, his voice sounding as though it comes from far away before it cuts off.

“Captain Rogers.” Her voice is crisp and clean, and he nearly stands to attention, heels together, saluting. Something about the snap of her voice works like rawhide bound about his psyche; lashing the fragments of him together, forcing him to be in the now.

“Commander Hill.”

The corners of her mouth shift subtly at his use of her title and Steve remembers she’s not ‘commander’ anymore – any rank she had at S.H.I.E.L.D is long since gone. He starts to apologise, but she holds up a hand, and what plays on her lips isn't quite a smile. “Welcome back.

 


End file.
